1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless headset apparatus, and more particularly to a wireless headset apparatus detachably attached to a communication equipment using a local area communication module.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as communication equipment such as a portable terminal, a computer, and electric appliances such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), or acoustic equipment such as portable radios, CD players and DVD players have been miniaturized, wireless headsets in wireless connection with the communication equipment at a close range have become widely used. Such a wireless headset, which is connected to the communication equipment at a close range via a wireless network, employs a BlueTooth (BT) system as a local area wireless communication standard so as to achieve bi-directional real-time communication without a complex wire connection.
For this purpose, a separate local area communication module, for example a chip type module, has come into wide use. As shown in FIG. 1, a local area communication module 51 is installed within the communication equipment, i.e., a portable terminal 50. Further, another local area communication module 14 is installed within a wireless headset 10. Therefore, a communication signal is bi-directionally transmitted and received between the portable terminal 50 and the wireless headset 10 using the two local area communication modules 51 and 14, respectively. As shown in FIG. 2, in the case where the local area communication module 41 is an external type, an interface module 40 for local area communication is additionally required and connected to the portable terminal 50. In FIG. 1, the wireless headset 10 comprises a microphone 11, a speaker 12, a communication on/off switch 13, and the local area communication module 14 installed within a main body of the wireless headset 10. A rod 20 provided with the microphone 11 at its lower end is installed at an lower surface of the main body of the wireless headset 10. The wireless headset 10 further comprises a hook 30 worn behind a user's ear. Further, in order to operate the wireless headset 10, a general battery or a rechargeable battery 15 is installed in the wireless headset 10. In case of the rechargeable battery 15, a charger (not shown) for charging the rechargeable battery 15 is additionally provided.
Since the conventional wireless headset of FIG. 1 uses the internal local area communication module which is separated from the communication equipment, the wireless headset moves independently of the communication equipment, and it has been found that wireless headsets are reluctantly used by the communication equipment users. Further, the conventional wireless headset shown in FIG. 2 uses the external local area communication module embodied in the separate interface module for local area communication so as to be connected to the communication equipment, and thus the requirement for the extra piece of equipment causes inconvenience to users. Moreover, since the communication equipment having the internal local area communication module requires the rechargeable battery installed within the wireless headset and the charger for charging the rechargeable battery, the rechargeable battery of the wireless headset must be charged by the charger whenever the wireless headset is used.
Due to the increased use of portable terminals, drivers increasingly communicate with a counterpart using the terminals while the car they are driving is in motion. The drivers' use of the portable terminal obstructs their driving and then prevents the drivers from concentrating their attention on driving, thereby frequently causing traffic accidents. In order to prevent such accidents, a hands-free device separately installed in their cars is required so that the drivers may safely use the portable terminal. In particular, while driving and using the wireless headset, it is difficult for the driver to know the state of an incoming call. It is also difficult for the user to know whether the battery of the wireless headset needs to be recharged, particularly when the user is wearing the headset and participating in a telephone call.